TLM 49 - User opinions?

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:48 pm

Anyone out there used the Neumann TLM 49? What are your opinions?

therealbigd · Post by **therealbigd** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:45 pm

depends what you want to use it for!! the TLM series are great for guitar amps, overheads, even kick drums as they have a very high SPL capability for condenser mics. thats what i use my 2 for. i leave the vocals to my AKGs.

therealbigd · Post by **therealbigd** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:48 pm

my friend here with me says the 49 is a great all rounder. it uses the same capsule as the world famous U47, but the mic on the whole has less noise than the 47.

it has good low end response so kick drums are fine, as are bass amps. it is very common to see u47s on bass amps, so as an all round condenser mic he seems to think you're not going to get much better for the cash!

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:45 pm

therealbigd wrote:my friend here with me says the 49 is a great all rounder. it uses the same capsule as the world famous U47, but the mic on the whole has less noise than the 47.

it has good low end response so kick drums are fine, as are bass amps. it is very common to see u47s on bass amps, so as an all round condenser mic he seems to think you're not going to get much better for the cash!

Thanks for the input, therealbigd.

Context: I am looking at the TLM49 as specifically a vocal mic for me (male, low tenor, pop stuff). And it'd be for my project studio.

I just picked up a Soundelux U195 for my all-arounder LDC and so far it's proven great on various hand percussion and acoustic guitar. And it works pretty well with my voice the little I've tested -- seem like one of those mics that'd be adequate on nearly anyone -- but it doesn't give it anything special.

So, I was wondering if the TLM 49, as a FET supposedly designed to sound mid rich like the U tube mics, would take me to that level at an attainable price mark.

Correction: I guess the 49 is not a FET. In any case, it's marketed as mic meant to have qualities of the U47, only at a lower cost and via transformerless design.

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:54 am

The TLM49 is certainly an excellent microphone and is really a throwback to their classic designs of the 1950's era. While personally, I still prefer the Mojave MA200 (and it's WAY cheaper, too!)---the TLM49 is nothing to sneeze at, that is unless you like the fine art of recording someone sneezing, but hey!

It's quite a different sound from the U195, so it would be a good balance.

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:53 pm

BradLyons wrote:The TLM49 is certainly an excellent microphone and is really a throwback to their classic designs of the 1950's era. While personally, I still prefer the Mojave MA200 (and it's WAY cheaper, too!)---the TLM49 is nothing to sneeze at, that is unless you like the fine art of recording someone sneezing, but hey! It's quite a different sound from the U195, so it would be a good balance.

Brad,

Can you characterize how the TLM 47 differs in sound from the U195 as well as the MA200? I realize putting these things into words is tough, and in the end, my own ears must be the arbiters, but I find I still benefit from hearing others' opinions.

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 2:58 pm

Radically different....the MA200 is based on the U67 design, it's a very rich and detailed microphone that works on ANYTHING you put it on. I've yet to be disappointed by it. The TLM49 is like the TLM103 in that it was built to hit a price point and have a sound somewhat like that of another microphone. Basically, the TLM103 was an affordable U87 although it really didn't sound anything like it....and the TLM49 uses the K47 capsule that was used in the M49 and U47, although it sounds nothing like those mics. It's more of a clean mic, some warmth---but more transparency than warmth. It's a simulated warmth so to speak--not tube, not really a FET like the U195 is. The U195 can sound warm, but also really edgy. The TLM49 definitely has a lot more character to it than the TLM103, a lot more.

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:08 pm

Thanks Brad.

Yeah, I'm not as keen on TLM103s or U87 on singing voices as others seem to be, although they certainly don't suck. I think the 103s can sound good on some female vocals (i.e., loud, diva-style stuff).

I guess I'm looking for something akin to the U47 without the price tag. Kind of on the dark, colored end of of the spectrum, but big in sound. I've never heard the TLM 49, and was assuming from what I'd read re: its capsule and characters that it was meant to approximate the U47 with a transformerless design. But you're saying it's more transparent in aural quality than that?

therealbigd · Post by **therealbigd** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:39 pm

do you get SE electronics in the US?

their Z5600 mic is stunning, as is the Titan. they are also some of the best priced microphones going. I own 2 of their se-1a's, C1000 style things. but smaller, cheaper, and quite frankly better. and their se2200 is probably the most common back-room-studio mic round here.

whilst neumann do have the brand name in vocal mics, i would personally buy a se now over them, as you get much more for your dollar. rode also make very satisfying mics. because of their price, i am now, moreso than ever, researching outside the lines of Neumann.

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:10 pm

Chris,

Well we all have different opinions and tastes.....my opinion of the TLM49 is different from what they say, but that's what I hear. What is your budget? I mean, where are you drawing the line?

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:21 pm

therealbigd wrote:do you get SE electronics in the US?

their Z5600 mic is stunning, as is the Titan. they are also some of the best priced microphones going. I own 2 of their se-1a's, C1000 style things. but smaller, cheaper, and quite frankly better. and their se2200 is probably the most common back-room-studio mic round here.

Yeah, SE Electronics is an US company. I've never seen any of these in use in any studio, though, short their reflection filter thingie. Guess I'll look into them just the same. Don Was seems to dig them.

whilst neumann do have the brand name in vocal mics, i would personally buy a se now over them, as you get much more for your dollar. rode also make very satisfying mics. because of their price, i am now, moreso than ever, researching outside the lines of Neumann.

I'm not married to the Neumann product line. I don't need their name recognition to lure clients, for instance. I'm just seeking an LDC vocal mic with the quality I'd assumed were covered by the TLM 49, although now I'm beginning to question my assumption.

Re: Rode mics -- I have an NTK. I like it for brightening up some source stuff (i.e., strummy acoustic guitar or distance mic'ing a cab), but it's too strident for my tastes on vocals.

Thanks for your input. These discussions are helping me zero in on my needs a little better.

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:26 pm

BradLyons wrote:Well we all have different opinions and tastes.....my opinion of the TLM49 is different from what they say, but that's what I hear. What is your budget? I mean, where are you drawing the line?

I'm not questioning your ears, Brad. Just trying to accumulate as much user experience as I can. If you hear the TLM 49 as clean, that's good info for me to work in. I'd simply assumed it wasn't that way.

My budget, I guess, tops out under 2K, although I really don't want to take it that high.

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:33 pm

What do you have for pres?

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:39 pm

Red Type B. *sigh*

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:42 pm

BradLyons wrote:What do you have for pres?

My two nice ones: A-Design Pacifica, UA 6176